A cut in the frequency of a bus route between Denmark Hill and Lewisham which serves two hospitals has been described as “a slap in the face”.
The 484 bus, which goes through Camberwell, East Dulwich and Peckham, will now run every 15 minutes.
It provides a link between Denmark Hill, Brockley and Lewisham Stations, as well as serving King’s College and the Maudsley hospitals.
The bus used to operate every 10 minutes in the peak and 12 minutes throughout the rest of the day.
The change came into effect on Saturday (21 March). TfL does not have to carry out consultations on changes to bus frequency.
The MP for Lewisham Ellie Reeves for Lewisham West and East Dulwich posted on X that she was “deeply concerned” about the changes to the frequency of the 484.
The MP said that she and Vicky Foxcroft, the MP for Lewisham North, had written to TfL commissioner Andy Lord asking for the change to be reversed.
“I know what a vital route it is for local people and that’s why Vicky Foxcroft and I have written to TfL requesting a meeting to discuss the impacts of these changes and for them to be reversed,” Reeves said.
Southwark Labour councillor for Goose Green Portia Mwangangye also called on TfL to “look into the implications of the cuts”.
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“The proposed reduction of the 484 bus service represents a significant concern for the Goose Green community,” she said.
“This bus serves as a route connecting our residents to Lordship Lane and the Sainsbury’s Superstore. Most critically, it provides a direct link to King’s College Hospital a service which our more vulnerable neighbours really depend on.”
TfL said the reduction would allow it to “operate the service efficiently to meet demand whilst offering value for money” and suggested it would improve reliability.
Luke McSorley, local Lib Dem campaigner in Goose Green said the reduction to the service was a “slap in the face'”.
“Local people in East Dulwich rely on the 484 bus to get to work, do their shopping, or just stay in touch with their friends and family. I know I do!” he said.
“It beggars belief that Labour have allowed routes like this to come under threat and face cuts, and are now pretending they couldn’t see it coming.”
A TfL spokesperson said: “London has one of the most extensive and accessible bus networks anywhere in the world, and we are committed to providing the best service possible. We are making the network safer and greener and are introducing new services in areas of growing demand – including through our game-changing Superloop network.
“We regularly review our services according to customer demand and, following detailed analysis, we have decided to make some changes to the timetable of route 484. Services are now running every 15 minutes instead of every 12 minutes on Monday to Saturday. The change allows us to operate the service efficiently to meet demand whilst offering value for money and allowing buses more time to complete their journeys – which should increase reliability.
“As with all changes, we will consider feedback from local stakeholders and continue to keep the changes under review.”
Portia Mwangangye continued: “On behalf of Goose Green residents I urge Transport for London to look at the implications of these cuts. To truly advance Southwark Labour’s ‘Streets for People’ goals, we need public transport to remain a robust and reliable cornerstone of local infrastructure. We will continue to push for a transport strategy that reflects the reality and requirements of our community.”
